Larapinta Trail
Back to Alice Springs
- Larapinta Trail More information on at Wikipedia
- Some discussion on CoolRunning : Thread1 and Thread2
General Info
Snaking its way steadily through the arid yet diverse landscape of Australia's Red Centre, the Larapinta trail is a fantastic find for all standards of runner.
The Larapinta Trail was constructed during the early 1990s by the Northern Territory Conservation Commission in order to create a substantial tourist attraction near Alice Springs. The steep red slopes of the West MacDonnell Ranges rise dramatically from the Central Australian desert and as the track follows the range, you are swept away with expansive views of barren landscapes and colourful rocks. The geological formations date back 800 million years, some of the oldest on our planet. The track visits major tourist features such as Simpsons Gap, Stanley Chasm and Ormiston Gorge as well as many other features along the range.
While most would think a typical desert walk to be barren, there are trees and bushes, deep shady gorges and pockets of lush plants. Of course, there is also plenty of spinifex (a very tough spiky desert grass) and barren ridges.
The attached photograph is taken at the Old Telegraph Station which was the initial building block of the town. It is also the start to the trail. From here you can run 5-6km until it momentarily crosses with the Stuart Hwy. You can turn left onto the highway which will take you back to the Telegraph Station or right and run to Darwin.
Alternatively keep running the Larapinta trail through to Wallaby Gap (16km) or Simpson's Gap (24km). From there on, you need supplies including plenty of water. You may also wish to access the trail at various points with your vehicle.
The temperature in Alice Springs is quite variable. It can reach the high 40Cs in summer but then is a quite pleasant 25C during winter. No matter what time of year you are there, a great time to enjoy the trail, the colours, and the silence is at dawn. The trail itself is a new addition to the area, so at present it does not get hordes of walkers or runners on it. You may only be greeted by the native kangaroos along the way.
The guide books are still being developed for the trail so runners are reliant upon the signage along the way. This is actually quite sufficient to guard against you becoming lost. It is essential that you allow for quicker dehydration than you would back home no matter what the weather looks like when you wake up.
Larapinta is an indigenous term meaning "dry river bed". The trail however offers runners an exciting, adventurous experience through some truly spectacular country.
